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An ecosystem is a habitat wherein different elements coexist and are dependent on one another to function in harmony. The world of cryptocurrency, too, is a virtual world where the various cryptocurrencies have built their eco-systems with different elements contributing to their functioning.
The cryptocurrency Bitcoin, the predecessor of all cryptocurrencies, was launched by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009 as a digital currency. He intended to introduce a kind of alternate asset against fiat money to be used for trading between two entities without the intervention of a third party.
Thus paving the way for growth in digital financial transactions. Fiat money is the currency that each country has adopted and is used for all types of financial transactions within its geographical boundary. The government controls it, and all transactions are processed through financial institutions such as banks.
Elements of the Bitcoin ecosystem
The 3 main elements that co-habit within the Bitcoin ecosystem are:
- Miners
- Investors
- Consumers
Miners constitute the topmost link of the chain. The Traders and the investors form the second element of the ecosystem, while bitcoin users who buy goods and services using this cryptocurrency make up the final elements.
Bitcoin Miners
New Bitcoins are released and brought into circulation by means of Bitcoin mining. Once a transaction occurs, it is verified by the miners and updated in an electronic ledger. A typical transaction includes details of the pseudo-addresses of the sender and the recipient, the amount exchanged, and the time-stamp.
The information is stored in blocks, and once the storage of a block reaches its maximum capacity, it is closed. It is then time-stamped and added to a chain of blocks, thus forming the blockchain, the technology on which Bitcoin is founded.
To add a new block to the chain, a set of random numbers in the correct sequence must be computed that solve a complex equation generated by the Bitcoin algorithm. It is a 64-digit hexadecimal number, also known as a hash. The miners perform these computations, and the one to solve the computation problem the first is rewarded with Bitcoin. Besides being responsible for creating new Bitcoins, miners also act as auditors as each transaction is first verified and then subsequently stored in a block of the blockchain.
So now we fully comprehend why the miner plays such a significant role in the Bitcoin world and is rightly said to be the most important link in its ecosystem.
Bitcoin investors and traders
Two of the most frequently used ways to use Bitcoins are trading and investing. The traders and the investors work towards earning maximum profits in the Fiat money to bitcoin and vice versa transactions by controlling the market. The market value of Bitcoins and the market volatility depend on the demand and supply chain, which is affected by the transactions executed by traders and investors.
Broadly, their function is similar. They buy and sell Bitcoins. The investors invest intending to get good value that also increases with time, but a trader’s objective is to amass wealth in a short period of time. In comparison to investment, trading is a quicker and more exciting process. The volatility brings in a sizeable element of risk where trading is concerned.
There are several online trading apps to increase your prospects of making a profit from your Bitcoin trading. bitcoin kiwi system is one such website.
Bitcoin users
Over the years, Bitcoin has become the most popular and accepted cryptocurrency. It has made its global presence felt is evident by the Blockchain.com report that the number of bitcoin users jumped to 63.5 million on January 1, 2021, from nearly 45 million users exactly a year back.
Components of the Bitcoin ecosystem
Based on a report by The U.S National Bureau of Economic Research, the 3 components of the Bitcoin ecosystem that influence the distribution, concentration, and ownership of Bitcoins are:
- The volume of transaction and the structure of the network
- Composition of Bitcoin miners
- Bitcoin ownership
Conclusion
As in a geological ecosystem, all the biotic and the abiotic elements coexist in a habitat, having their importance, and if even one is disturbed, the balance gets skewed. Similarly, in the bitcoin ecosystem, each element has its significance, and only when they function in perfect harmony can bitcoin exist.
